SIMSBURY — Officials gathered on the bank of the Farmington River in Tariffville Tuesday to announce legislative efforts to federally protect a 62-mile portion of the river.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, was joined by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-5th, and local officials to announce the efforts to pass federal legislation to have the lower Farmington River Valley and parts of Salmon Brook receive a U.S. National Park Service Wild and Scenic River designation.

The designation would allow for federal resources to maintain the river, officials said. Murphy said that it is a marketing tool for the towns the river is in, as well.

Murphy said similar legislation was proposed last year but was struck down by the park service because a study of the area's suitability for the designation had not yet been completed.

Murphy said the committee, who has been working on the study for several years, gave officials the information necessary to make the case for the "ecological and economic power of this section of the river."

"There are over 120,000 people every year who enjoy the Farmington River … the river is an economic generator for the region," Murphy said. "This river screams out to be designated as a wild and scenic river."

Now with the study complete, Murphy said he and Blumenthal will bring the legislation to the senate energy and natural resource committee. Officials said they couldn't have got this far without the help of the local officials and advocates.

"This movement is bipartisan and community driven," Blumenthal said. "We are united as a delegation and we are united as a state – Republicans and Democrats alike – in this effort."

Blumenthal, Murphy and Esty agreed that this is a bipartisan effort to preserve the Farmington River; Murphy said his Republican predecessor in Congress, Nancy Johnson, helped get the designation for the upper Farmington River.

Blumenthal said that this action needs to be taken not just for the short term benefit.

"There is a moral obligation to preserve this river, not just for ourselves and the immediate economic benefit, but for our children and our grandchildren," said Blumenthal.

Esty, who was joined by her husband Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Dan Esty, said that the river is a key to reviving areas along the river.

"This has the power to not only generate power, which some of us are working on, but to have a rebirth of the area with scenic enjoyment and recreation," Esty said.